Ex-NARAL Pro-Choice New York President Sued, Ordered To Return Misused Funds

Fiscal conservatives are now criticizing a double standard, where the lawmakers backing these bills are more regularly seen opposing other instances of what they call government interference, and decrying so-called “big spending.” (WikiMedia Commons)

Late last month the New York State Attorney General charged Kelli Conlin, former president of NARAL Pro-Choice New York with using over $250,000 of organizational funds for personal use, allegedly spent on personal expenses.

Non-Profit Quarterly reports that money was used “for personal travel, the salary of her children’s nanny, dining expenses, shopping sprees at Barneys New York and Bergdorf Goodman, the rental of a five bedroom Hamptons vacation home and thousands of dollars worth of take-out meals.”

“As a result of her guilty plea last year, Ms. Conlin has been held accountable by this Office — as a felon — for her criminal misconduct. We are pleased that the Attorney General’s Office will now seek the return of additional funds using its civil enforcement powers,” said a spokesman for Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, according to the Wall Street Journal.

NARAL Pro-Choice New York said they “applaud” the action against Conlin. The organization cooperated fully in the investigation and has since put in safeguards to ensure such a problem does not occur again.